The Universalist. [volume] (Chicago [Ill.]) 1884-1897, 1887-11-12

Messrs. II. Tomlinson, l.. II. Paige, DID, and
John Boyden. Meanwhile the Committee re-
ported to the Corporation Board of Officers,
comprising the following gentlemen, who
were unanimously elected: James o. Curtis,
President; Newton Talbot Latimer W. Bal
lou, Joseph Day, J. G.. Bartholomew, John d.
W. Joy, A. A. Miner, Directors, and ], S.
Barry, Clerk. Moses Mellen was subsequently
appointed Treasurer. They also reported a
Code of Bylaws which were adopted. The
most significant bylaw, as related to the sub.
sequent history of the organization. was the
following:
ARTICLE XXI. Trustees. When the business
of the Corporation shall have paid its ex-
penses and redeemed the stock, the stock
holders shall transfer all its rights and in
terests in trust, to twenty-one permanent, or
life Trustees, for the benefit of the Univer-
salist denomination. Said trustees to be at
first elected by the stockholders, the principle
of selection to be based on the pro rata in
terest OF the New England States in the sub
scription list of the weekly paper at the time
of said election. The trustees shall succeed
TO all the rights of the stockholders and con-
tinue the business on the original plan SO far
as practicable, choosing annually out of their
number the elective officers of the CORPORA
The Board of Referees having awarded for
the whole property at 81 Cornhill the sum of
twenty-one thousand, three hundred and fifty
one dollars and forty-nine cents 1921 ,351 49).
the Corporation took possession of the prop
erty on the 2Oth of October, 1862; a trying
time, the darkest period in the war of 1861
1900 They did not therefore deem it prudent
to attempt the i'm mediate increase of the book
hI1t hat,
efforts to increase the efficiency and enlarge
the circulation of the Trumpet and Christian
freeman, the name of which they changed in
1854 to the UNIvERSALIsT; and the Sunday
school paper the Myrtle. Rev. Messrs. s.
Cobb and G. FL. Emerson were appointed
editors of the former, and Rev. ]. G. Adams,
editor of the latter. The House started with
| only 1926 of its capital paid in, while the
obligations. on account of loan, held prin-
| cipally in friendly hands, were at the close of
the first year SIS, $50. that being in addition to
the liabilities on account of current business.
During the financial year ending May 1,
1865, the business of Tompkins g. Co. was pur-
chased; this included The Ladies Repository
and UntUersdtist Quarterly, and the plates and
copyrights of many valuable books, at a cost
OF $7,S55.7s. Mrs. Sarah A. NOVEL; became
N.
as issued by the House, and Rev. Thomas B.
Thayer, DID,, was continued in charge of the
Quarterly. On the first of May, 1870. the
Christian Repository the long established
organ of Universalism in Vermont. was mr.
chased, and its list of subscribers mt rged into
| the UNIvERSALIsT.
AT the Annual Meeting, the 2gth of Nav.
1871 the Agent reported to the Directors as
follows:
In my report made to you year ago. I
ventured this statement: "rhe business of
the House and the liberality of friends of our
cause afford evidence that the day cannot be
far distant when the stockholders will have
the privilege of transferring the valuable
property in their charge to the hands of trus-
tees, to be held by them for the Universalist
Church" l little expected that this pre-
diction would be fulfilled within the year.
But now, within eight years and half from
the time of the establishment, the object
which the founders of the House proposed
has been attained. 1t gives me great pleasure
to report to you that all the permanent liza
bilities of the House, other than stock. have
been cancelled, and that l hold subscriptions
sufficient to cancel the stock as soon as the
stockholders shall have perfected their ar
engagements for the transfer of the property
to trustees.
In anticipation of this good fortune. the
Board recommended the Trustees to petition
the Legislature for charter giving the Cor
poration power to hold real and personal
estate; nominated the trustees required under
the charter, and recommended to the Corpora.
tion to authorize the Board for the ensuing
year TO transfer to the Trustees to be elected
by the Corporation, ali its property whenever
the conditions imposed shall have been com
piled with.
The charter granted by the Legislature, and
approved by the Governor on the Both of
April, 1872 was accepted by the stockholders
at the annual meeting on the 10Th of May
that year. The following are its provisions:
"Alonzo A. Miner, Newton Talbot. John d.
w. Joy, Henry b. Metcalf. Henry d. williams
Russell a. Ballou, their associates and sue
cessors, not exceeding at one time twenty-one
in number, are hereby made a corporation by
the name of the Universalist Publishing
House, to be established in Boston, for the
purpose of printing, publishing, purchasing,
selling and distributing books, newspapers
magazines and other periodicals, with all the
powers and privileges, and subject to all the
duties, restrictions and liabilities contained in
all general laws applicable to such corpora
lions.
Said corporation may hold real and per-
sonal property necessary for conducting it's
business to an amount not exceeding two hun
bred thousand dollars in value
said corporation may accept and hold any
gift, devise or bequest which may be made to
1t, for the purposes aforesaid, and the same,
with the income and profits therefrom, and
from the business of the Corporation shall
be held and applied tor such purpose"
The following named persons were then
elected Trustees;
A. A. Miner. John ID. W. Joy, Newton Tai
bot, John NJ Lincoln. K. M. Bailey, of Boston;
Henry B. Metcalf, Winchester; L. r. Paige,
Cambridge; Mrs. N. I. Munroe, Somerviile;
Mrs. G. NJ Sawyer, Medford; II. A. BaIlou,
Boston; B. r. Doak I'd, Lynn; Henry d. Will
Jams, West Roxbury; Geo. Hill South Ded-
ham; VIM. H. Finney, Charlestown: olney
Arnold, Pawtueket. r. l.; Fl. w. Rugg, Provi-
dence, r. L.; S. G. Hubbard, Middletown.
Conn; F. s. Bliss, Barre. VT; j. H. Farms
worth, Springfield, Vt; Moses Humphrey.
Concord, N. H.. N. G. Hichborn, Stockton, Me.
The old Board of Directors presented their
report and transferred the property to the
Trustees. The Treasurer's report showed the
value of the investment of the House, in
Guiding cash on hand, and dedueting for con-
tingencies and bills payable, TO be $50. 6sS 81.
The cash donations during the existence of
the corporation had aggregated $lOs96.5O, in
elusive of the stock donated, which sum did
not differ much from the amount paid out in
interest and dividends so that the property
of the House then surrendered to the Trustees